White House cites Ohioan for youth-education effort

Friday

Oct 5, 2012 at 12:01 AMOct 5, 2012 at 11:14 AM

In the early 1980s, Mike Buscemi realized that Lions Quest - classes to help children learn life skills - might have a far-reaching effect when a school system in India signed on for the program. Almost 30 years later, Lions Quest - under the administration of Lions Clubs International - is taught in 74 countries. This week, Buscemi received recognition at the White House for his role in developing the program.

Ray Paprocki, The Columbus Dispatch

In the early 1980s, Mike Buscemi realized that Lions Quest — classes to help children learn life skills — might have a far-reaching effect when a school system in India signed on for the program.

“It was startling and scary,” the Thornville resident said. “But it just reaffirmed for us that the research was right on track: We saw that the insecurities . . . of a 12-year-old there were the same as a 12-year-old here.”

Almost 30 years later, Lions Quest — under the administration of Lions Clubs International — is taught in 74 countries. More than 12 million students in kindergarten through 12th grade have taken the classes, which teach character development, civic values, social and emotional learning, and violence and substance-abuse prevention.

This week, Buscemi received recognition at the White House for his role in developing the program.

The only Ohioan, he joined 10 other Lions Club members as part of the Obama administration’s Champions of Change, honoring ordinary Americans doing admirable work in their communities.

Lions Clubs International, the world’s largest service club, operates in 207 countries and has 1.35 million members.

“Mike’s work to get the Lions Quest program off the ground sets him apart from other Lions,” said Lions Clubs International spokesman Kristopher Kempski. “The program changes the lives of our youth who need it most.”

Buscemi, a 1961 graduate of West Jefferson High School, taught social studies at his alma mater before joining the staff of the Buckeye Ranch, which serves troubled youngsters. He moved to the Ohio Department of Education in 1970 to help schools implement drug-prevention programs.

A decade later, he became the co-architect of Quest International, designed to teach “character education” to schoolchildren. The organization was based in Findlay before heading to Columbus, then Granville.

In the early 1980s, Quest partnered with Lions Club International to run Lions Quest — which, Buscemi said, “is about helping kids make good decisions.” More than 500,000 teachers have received training.

Buscemi, a member of the Thornville chapter (Perry County) of the Lions Club and a senior adviser to Lions Clubs International, spent a couple of busy days in the nation’s capital attending receptions and briefings on community-service issues.

He brushed aside credit for the program’s recognition.

Quoting his father about the importance of remaining humble, he said: “The number of people who attend your funeral will depend on the weather.”